Harlington is fortunate in possessing a Churchwarden's account book, which has been used, with a very small lacuna, continuously for 240 years. These are recorded in a calf bound book of small folio size, in good condition and endorsed “The Parish Booke of Accounts for Harlington Parish.” At the beginning and for many years, the Book is neatly and well kept, but about 1740 and thenceforward the spelling becomes atrocious and shows an uneducated hand. The earliest account is for the year 1677, and the last is for the year ending Easter 1918. For some reason, unexplained, there is a hiatus from 1895 to 1905, and a note by W. F. Higgs Churchwarden that “During this period the Church Accounts were kept by Dr. Spencer in other Books.” It may be observed here parenthetically that at the end of that century Mr. J. W. Foil filled the office of Churchwarden for the long term of 51 years. One may also note that the resident clergy, even if they attended the Vestries, rarely signed the accounts.

During the earlier period especially, these Accounts are of a highly interesting character, and throw considerable light on the life and proceedings of a Bedfordshire village from year to year; for the first hundred years there is however no great diversity, and it will suffice to quote in extenso the years 1677 to 1689—that is the first twelve years of the accounts preserved—which may be taken as a fair example of those of the following century; adding such supplementary extracts for the latter as appear to be of a different character or of additional interest.

Perhaps the first thing that will strike the eye is the considerable number of items of relief to passing travellers which are found in some of the early years, and are even more frequent and generous in the later half of the following century. It may be noted that a similar liberality is not disclosed, in either the Churchwardens or the Overseers accounts for the near town of Toddington, indeed they are almost entirely wanting.